Speaking Skills

Speaking Skills 1

Profiling

  1. Record your voice talking about a topic (for example, "About last year" or "A funny thing happened to me the other day" - be as creative as you like)

  2. Profile the speakers below using this profile sheet.

3. Listen to your own recording and profile yourself. What do you want to work on?

4. Read and do the Quick changes to your voice below.

5. Record your voice talking about another topic. How was it?

Keep profiling your voice every month or so to track your progress!

Quick changes to your voice

When you go to record your go to record your voice or do a speech or presentation, first try these things:

  • smile (even when it's not visible, it's audible)

  • stand up and walk around first. Record your voice standing.

  • gesture as you normally would talking with a friend.

  • imagine you are talking with a friend, they are standing right in front of you listening to you with a smile.

Word Stress

English has a Rhythm

Have you ever noticed the rhythm of English? There's a certain beat of emphasis, quick and slow syllables to the way people pronounce clearly. When the word stress is off, listeners have a hard time understanding.

The word photograph has:

  • 3 syllables

  • a word stress pattern of: O o o (DA di di)

The word photographer has:

  • 4 syllables

  • a word stress pattern of: o O o o (di DA di di)

  1. How many syllables do these words have?

  2. What is the word stress pattern of each?

Clap the Rhythm of these Quotes

Sentence Stress and Meaning Changes

Work with this worksheet

An inspirational rap song

Create your own rap song!

  1. Find a group of 2-4 inspirational quotes.

  2. Find the rhythm of their sentences

  3. Rap them!